07/13/2011

Sometimes it's fun to put yourself in the place of a book character. If you had been in Kit's situation, starting at the very beginning of the book, what would you have done? Would you have made the same choices as she did? Keep in mind that as Kit made her choices, she didn't know what the consequences would be (we have that advantage!). Most importantly, what would your shoes look like? Strappy heels? Pee-toes? Something shiny and red?

06/29/2011

The post-war time frame of Strings Attached provide a backdrop for a story of a girl who is trying to pursue her dreams and gets caught up in complicated relationships with love interests, friends, and family members. I wonder how the story would be different if it were set in today's world, or even in the 1970's, 80's, or 90's. Do you think any major story elements would change if the story were a contemporary one? Or could the author have simply plunked this story down at any point in history, changed a few details, and had a feasible plot and alluring story?

06/15/2011

How 'bout the 1950's?! I loved the atmosphere the author created: nightclubs, glamour, show business, high heels, lipstick, gangsters. I especially appreciated the details she included, carefully describing clothing and a few period household items. Not only did this give me a crystal-clear image of Kit's world, it also created a very rich, authentic historical setting. Which 1950's details in the book were your favorites?

06/01/2011

Kit took a lot of chances in this book. Some of the risks she took ended up paying off, while others led her to trouble. Of course, this is true for all of us, too. We have the advantage of seeing how Kit's story unfolded. Knowing what you know after reading the book, what advice would you give to Kit if you could tell her something just as the story is beginning?

05/23/2011

When she drops out of school and struggles to start a career on Broadway in the fall of 1950, seventeen-year-old Kit Corrigan accepts help from an old family friend, a lawyer said to have ties with the mob, who then asks her to do some favors for him.